A recent VA study emphasized the importance of targeting comorbid lung disease to improve long-term outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Not Enough Veterans Get Folic Acid With Methotrexate
SAN FRANCISCO—Co-prescription of folic acid in patients receiving low dose oral methotrexate (MTX) is recommended because it reduces adverse events and prolongs the use of the drug. A study on PLOS One suggests, however, that not enough is known about how often new...
PsA Patients Not at Increased Risk of Mortality, Except for Suicide
PHILADELPHIA—What are the common causes of mortality in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) compared with the general population and compared with patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)? A report in the journal Rheumatology (Oxford) provided some answers.1 A...
Psoriatic Arthritis, Psoriasis Patients Have Increased Fracture Risks
PHILADLPHIA—Broken bones can be a risk for patients with psoriatic arthritis, (PsA) according to a study that looked at the risk of fracture and osteoporosis among patients with that condition and with psoriasis, compared with the general population and patients with...
Younger Veterans Much More Likely to Suffer Severe Pain Than Nonveterans
Veterans, especially those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, are about 40% more likely to experience severe pain than nonveterans, according to a new study.
Costs Higher When RA Patients Switch TNFi Therapies
How are clinical outcomes and drug/administration costs of treatment affected when VA patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) use tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) agents?
Smoking Associated With RA Severity at VA
Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis and has been associated with increased disease severity and lower rates of disease remission.
New Gout Classification Criteria Released Recently
The American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism recently came out with new 2015 Gout Classification Criteria.
Evaluation of Allopurinol Use for Acute Gout Attack
SAN ANTONIO — Allopurinol traditionally has not been initiated during an acute gout attack to avoid prolonging the painful arthritis.Instead, the 2012 American College of Rheumatology Guidelines for the Management of Gout suggest that urate-lowering therapy can be...
Knee Arthroplasty Less Effective in RA, Compared to OA
OMAHA, NE — Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is effective in reducing pain for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but not as much as with osteoarthritis (OA) patients, according to a new study.The report, published recently in the journal Arthritis &...
Women Veterans Have Higher Prevalence of Arthritis than Male Colleagues
DURHAM, NC – While the commitment to physical fitness demanded of active duty forces can keep many ailments at bay, the rigors of service also bring an increased risk of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, especially for young women entering (and exiting) the military.
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